Hot Shots is tennis for kids! It's a program designed to help every child, no matter their age or ability, jump in and start playing tennis.  Hot Shots is played on smaller courts with modified equipment, including lighter racquets, lower nets and low compression balls that don't bounce too high.

Here is a Guide to the different coloured balls: HERE

The table below shows the suggested age ranges, but this is indicative only:

This image shows the range of balls and how it works in relation to the player's height:

And here is a great article from the New York Tennis Magazine:

The Benefits of Training with Low-Compression Balls:

"The feedback I get from many parents about the USTA’s decision to use low-compression balls in the 10 & Under Tournaments tells me that many people are skeptical of the benefits and uses of these balls. They usually think that low-compression balls are only for beginners. They say that when their nine-year-old is playing up in 12 & Under tournaments, that "they only play with regular balls in tournaments, so why do we use low-compression balls now?” My answer to that is, “It takes 10 minutes to get accustomed to the switch between low-compression and regular balls.” That issue is actually completely beside the point, because it's not about whether a child can adjust to the ball switch. The argument is about whether using a low-compression ball can help develop a particular skill that the student is working on.

Low-compression balls are a tool, just like a racquet weight, ball machine or lateral resistor. Quite simply, they are a means to an end. They act as a bridge between shadowing and real-time hitting, with the ability to aid in the development of countless skills.

Keeping the correct contact point
Since low-compression balls don’t bounce too high, they are very helpful in teaching kids to keep the correct point of contact. We don’t see very high bounces with these balls, which can ultimately help keep a reasonably correct grip. When you see a child with an extreme Western grip, it is usually a result of their contact point being head height or above. There are unfortunate trickle down effects of a severe Western grip. It can influence the shape of swing on that stroke and could potentially create technical issues down the road—while it can help create a ball with a lot of topspin, that ball is less likely to have force or penetration through the court.

Slice/topspin
Many young children are “visual learners.” Low-compression and colored balls can help young children learn slice and topspin. The color of the different sections of the ball can literally help them see specific spins.

There are benefits for older kids too
I'll start that with a question, “How many kids playing tennis let the ball drop?” Many do, and it is largely because they are used to letting the ball bounce to them, rather than moving up to it. A low-compression ball actually does the opposite, as it barely makes it to the baseline on a full court. Practicing with low-compression balls actually forces kids move up to the ball even more than they are used to doing, which ultimately gets them comfortable with the movement off the split and up to the ball.

Racquet head speed
Low-compression balls are a great way to learn to hit the ball with proper acceleration–they go nowhere otherwise! Many parents believe that low-compression balls are causing shoulder injuries with their kids. It is much more likely that learning poor techniques will cause injuries than using low-compression balls will.

There are many young children who, even at a young age, naturally do things very well. Even in those cases, there is always so much more to learn, and utilizing low-compression balls as a tool can be very helpful. Skill building is important during many different phases of your junior player’s development, and I recommend that students of all ages keep an open mind regarding the tools and methods available to help you reach your potential."

Carl Thorsen